Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-01-22

toea1 olno5rs a-ssaarge Gns uzlsS= G1szz-li3
enioined upon them by law, Win zeal aIiss
fidelity. Provide the necessary laws to Gem
pei local officers to discharge their sworn
duties, and torsmoFe them when they neg
Iset or refuse TO do 50, end there will be q !
need to make many other changes IN Gu
statutes. On the other hand no matter
what amendments are made, nor what pro
visions are added to the present laws. they
will be Intellectual so long as the mun1c7p-i
authorities Of cities or counties can nui1fy "H
d 'eregard them without az Of removal r
punishment
RESULTS or PROHB. TON.
The public sentiment OF Kansas IS Over-
WhelmingIy against the liquor traffic. Thou
sands OF men, WhOs few years ago. oP-
posed prohibition, or doubted whether II
vas the best nethod Of dealing with the
liquor traffic, have seen ana frankly &c
knowledge its benedcens results and II
practical success. The temptations viii
which the open saloon allured the youth OF
the land to disgrace and destFuehonj the sp-
petite for liquor, bred and nurtured with
It's walls by the treating custom; the vice
crime, poverty suffering and sorroW q
which II is always the fruitful sOurce-all
these evil results OF the open saloon have
been abolished IN EeGrly every town ano
city of Kansas. There Is not an observing
man in the state VINO does not know that 8
great reform has been accom- plished in Kan
sas by prohibition. There Is not a truthful
man in the state who viii not frankly &C
| knowledge this fact, no mater what hi
opinions touching the policy Of prohibition
may have been. And firmly believe that
if the amendments to the law that I have
suggested are made, and if authority is pro-
Vid6d for compelling local officers to dis
charge the duties required Of them by law,
within three months there vii not be an
open saloon in Kansas, and the sale of III
tOxicatiRg liquors as 3 beverage will be
practically abolished.
RAILROADS.
The growth Of the railway system of Kan
sas, during the past two years, has been phe-
EomenaL Fully !, 250 miles of new road
have during that period been completed
and since the first of January, 1886, not less
| Il an I, 100 miles have been finished. Many
I OF the old lines have, also, been generally
and substantially improved. In January
| 1885, thirty one of the counties of Kansas
| as then defined, had not a mile Of railway
within their borders. To-day all eXcep3
/ fourteen of our one hundred counties are
travsrsed by one or more lines of railway
and within six months at least seven add
tIOnal counties viii be provided with rail
road facilities. There are at present, 6,O6C
miles of railway in operation within the
limits Of the state.
This marvellous development of our rail
way system, era flying as 1t Is to the pride
/ OF every citizen, Is nevertheless source OF
! Just anxiety and apprehension. While our
/ great railway eOrpOI ATOMS are, IN theory,
/ the mere creatures of the state, they are
really organized for the personal profit of
| their owners and managers, and, unless reg
ulated and controlled by just laws, they
may exert their vast powers to injure or Op-
press the people. 1t is, therefore, alike the
right and the duty of the state to exert it.
/ authority to protect each and all of its c.ti-
zens against eItortions or determinations
| by the railways.
! Experience has confirmed the opinion
/ expressed, two years ago, that the commits
siOner system, with ample powers vested IN
! the commission, Is the best method of deal
ing with, or regulating railroads. The
/ railroad commissioners of Kansas have
/ been able, without friction or serious diff
/ Guilty, not only to amicably adjust a very
l'large number of controversies but to bring
about large and important reductions In
| freight rates. During the fiscal year ended
| June Both, 1888, the gross receipts from
| freights, of all railroads reporting to the
| commissioners amounted to S45, 135, 33l. q.
/ During the fiscal year ended June Both, 1886,
/ the freight tra1ho over the same roads eL-
| ceded that Of 1888 fully 3,379, 351 tons, OF
| 20 per cent. This largely increased tonnage
! was, however, transported over the same
/ railroads, for the year ending June Both,
/ 1886, at total charge of $4l, 49,, 23+.O5, or
| 81, OO3, O97. 50 less than the amount collected
/ on the lesser tonnage OF 1888. The reduc-
ton of freight rates effected by the commits
| siOners, during the past three years, has
| been fully 26 per cent.
! There are, however, some legal restraints
| and regulations which only the laW-makiDa
! power can provide. The railway corpora
] tons should be prohibited from engaging,
| either directly or indirectly, In any Other
business except that of common carriers.
J If these great corporations are allowed to
| embark In commercial, industrial or 6gri-
| cultural pursuits, individual enterprise Is
/ paraiyzed, legitimate competition Is made
impossible, and the railway companies vii,
| soon mOnOpOlize every business that should
| afford full scope for the personal energlel
OF the neoDle. Tho great and startling peril
of the future, If indeed it is not a danger
/ present and immediate, lies in these vast
| and memorable accommodations OF Sapital,
l sta 4
| gidual effort and industry from all fields oil
/ human activity. It is an imperative duty
/ ne laW-mak1ng power, national as well as
| state, to cheek thess Tuiaous tendencies Il
| corporate and syndicate organization, anc
| o dol promptly. vigorously and thoroughly.
/ The issu ng of sO-called ''Water stock
| 'hOpld also be prohibited. under the-seXersst
penalties. NO railway company should
/ permitted to Issue q single dollar of stock l.
/ excess Of the actual cost Of building al
| equipping its road.
Some means should also be devised I
/ compel foreign corporations to pay tnel-
| Just proportion Of taxes on cars used in tn
| carrying trade of Kansas. The Pullman
/ Car Company, and dozens of fast freight an
| other companies, have constantly in use, l.
| Kansas hundreds of cars on which not
/ dollar OF tax is ever paid. The taX-dOdgiug
| practced by these wealthy corpora IONS
/ not only an outrage on the people, who ar,
/ compelled to bear burdens thus shirked, bu
| is insulting TO the dignity and authority o
/ the state. Measures should be adopted I,
enforce the payment of taxes on cars this
used in Kansas. If no other remedy cen b,
| found, the railways of Kansas should be pro
| hibited from using cars on which taxes at
| not paid.
/ The full and comprehensive report Of tn
state board of railroad commissioners fur
/ nishes many suggestions ana much valuable
7 information touching cur railways, theiI
management, receipts, expenditures and in
/ debtedness, and their carrying trade duFinf
/ the past year.
JOHN A. MARTIN
EXECUTIVE OFFICE, ToPEKA, KAN. Jan.
11th, 1887.
Mrs. c. Kellogg, EdgwoOd, Cal, says,